Web pages are created using a markup language which provides a means to describe a structure of text-based information in a document and to supplement that text with interactive forms, embedded images, and other objects. One popular markup language is HyperText Markup Language (HTML) which is written in the form of tags surrounded by angle brackets. HTML can describe the appearance and semantics of a web page, and can include embedded scripting language code (e.g., JavaScript®) which can affect the behavior of web browsers and other HTML processors. JavaScript® provides developers with the ability to add mouse event handlers or event listeners in a web page. These mouse event handlers can be assigned to specific regions of the web page and configured to receive mouse events in those regions, such as mouse up or mouse down events.
By contrast, web pages that are navigated with a touch sensitive device often need to respond to touch events generated by a user touching a web page with one or more fingers and making gestures. Conventional mouse event handlers cannot correctly interpret these touch events. Thus touch events require a different touch event model to correctly interpret touch events and to allow developers to fully utilize the capabilities of a touch sensitive display or device.